Packaging material

Abstract

A packaging material for use in filling baskets and protecting articles. The packaging material includes a flexible bag having an exterior surface and an interior surface and a mass of individual, thin, flexible strips of material intertwined with one another to form a cohesive, resilient tuft. The mass of individual, thin, flexible strips are bondingly are disposed in the bag and bondingly connected to the interior surface of the bag.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A packaging material, comprising: 
       a flexible bag having an exterior surface and an interior surface; and  
       a tuft of flexible strips of material disposed in the bag and connected to the interior surface of the bag,  
       wherein the bag is openable to expose the tuft of flexible strips of material connected to the interior surface of the bag so that the tuft of flexible strips of material is capable of receiving and cushioningly supporting an object while the tuft of flexible strips of material remains connected to the bag to prevent scattering of the tuft of flexible strips of material.  
     
     
       2. The packaging material of  claim 1  wherein the bag has a tear line along a portion of the bag to facilitate the opening of the bag for exposing the tuft of flexible strips of material. 
     
     
       3. The packaging material of  claim 1  wherein the bag has a tear line along an upper edge and pair of tear lines along opposed side edges thereof such that the bag may be laid open in a substantially flat condition with the tuft of flexible strips of material remaining connected to and spread out over the interior surface of the open bag upon opening the bag along each of the tear lines. 
     
     
       4. The packaging material of  claim 1  wherein the tuft of flexible strips of material is connected to the interior surface of the flexible bag via an adhesive disposed on the interior surface of the flexible bag. 
     
     
       5. The packaging material of  claim 1  wherein the tuft of flexible strips of material is connected to the interior surface of the flexible bag via an adhesive disposed on at least a portion of the flexible strips of material. 
     
     
       6. The packaging material of  claim 1  wherein the tuft of flexible strips of material is connected to the interior surface of the flexible bag via a cohesive disposed on the interior surface of the flexible bag and at least a portion of the flexible strips of material. 
     
     
       7. The packaging material of  claim 1  wherein the exterior surface of the bag has an adhesive disposed thereon for connecting the flexible bag to a supporting surface.